Organized January
29, 1841, from Barry County and named for William Jasper, Revolutionary
War soldier.

County Seat: Carthage

Address:

Jasper
County
County Courthouse
P.O. Box 387
Carthage, MO 64836

Photograph

History

Jasper County's
first courthouse, a one-story building on the north side of the square
in Carthage, was built by Levi H. Jenkins for $398.50. He completed the
building June 29, 1842.

The square also was the site
of the next courthouse. Plans were presented to the court in July 1849
by John R. Chenault, superintendent. He was allowed $15 for the plans
and specifications, which were furnished by S. W. Walcott; however, the
order was rescinded November 28. Gabriel Johnson then built the
courthouse; the record is not clear about whether Walcott's or Johnson's
plans were used. Costs of the two-story, brick building came to $4,760. The first story was used for Circuit Court room and
offices, the second story for jail and offices. The courthouse was
completed July 10, 1854. Used as a hospital during the Civil War, it was
destroyed by fire in October 1863.

For the next 30 years the
court moved into a number of temporary quarters: a school, a remodeled
jail, a two-story building on the west side of the square and a Baptist
church converted for the court's use.

Officials took steps in 1891
toward building two courthouses, one, a joint Carthage-Jasper County
project costing $100,000, the other, a special $20,000 project at Joplin
for holding Circuit Court. This did not materialize because Webb City
residents, who had not approved of the proposition, challenged the
election on the basis of a technicality in the voting procedure. The
protest ended in the Supreme Court, where the decision required that the
issue be resubmitted to the people. In May 1893 the tax funding the
building again received an affirmative vote.

The city and county shared
costs equally for the $100,000 Carthage courthouse, and the city was to
be granted the use of not less than four rooms. Officials accepted the
plans of architect M. A. Orlopp, residing in New Orleans at that time,
for a 106-by-133-foot building constructed of native Carthage stone.

The large appropriation and
opportunity to bid on two courthouses at the same time attracted at
least 16 architects, some with national reputations. According to the
Carthage Press, Orlopp had built 10 or 12 courthouses, the most notable
in Dallas, Texas, and New Orleans, Louisiana, both costing several times
Jasper County's appropriation. L. W. Divelbiss, Olathe, Kansas,
submitted the low bid for Jasper County's courthouse of $91,600.

The cornerstone was laid
August 21, 1894. However, a strained relationship had developed between
the architect and the court-appointed superintendent of construction,
Nelson L. Damon. The dispute spread to the community, creating factions
and resentment. Construction proceeded at such a slow pace the
townspeople became impatient, then angry. At the height of tension one
group called for Orlopp's dismissal. Damon had reservations about
Orlopp's specifications; Orlopp did not trust Damon's judgment and
threatened to resign if Damon continued to represent the court. The
newspapers carried accounts of the dispute, quoting both sides, but
generally sympathetic to Damon.

In spite of the problems of
conflicting personalities and questions of judgment, the building was
dedicated October 9, 1895. The courthouse, one of
Missouri's finest, has remained a source of pride for Jasper Countians
ever since. It is now included on the National Register of Historic
Places.

A temporary seat of justice was
established, Thursday, February 25, 1841 in the home of George Hornback,
a log cabin, 12 x 16 feet, one and a half miles northwest of Carthage on
Spring River. Samuel M. Coolley, Jeremiah Cravens and Samuel B. Bright
were the first justices of the Jasper County Court. The first county
road commissioners ordered a road built in 1841 "commencing at the
township line South of John Pennington's and ending due South of William
Babb's Mill". Each male white person was required to work on the
public roads at least two days each year or pay 50 cents.

A permanent county seat was chosen
in March 1842 and designated by the name of Carthage. The County Court,
under Judge Spencer as presiding judge, lets bids for a courthouse
building, the contract being awarded to Levi H. Jenkins, at a total cost
of $398.50 (100.00 in cash to be paid on completion of the building and
the balance on the sale of bonds. The building, a one story room with a
large door in the south, was completed on June 29th, 1842, and was
located on the north side of the present public square in Carthage. With
the settling of the county, the court business grew until it was
necessary to have larger quarters, and in the early 50's a new building
was constructed.

The Romanesque architecture was
designed by Maximilian A. Orlopp Jr. of New Orleans, Louisiana and built
by L.W. Divelbliss of Olathe, Kansas. The imposing structure was
constructed of native stone quarried from the Thacker farm north of the
Spring River by the Carthage Stone Company.

The 104-year old building has one
of the area's first electric elevators which continues to be in use
today. Accepted to the National Register of Historic Place in 1973, the
well maintained building houses the central administrative offices of
Jasper County government and the Judical system.

Carthage, Missouri was selected as
the county seat in 1842. Before the Civil War Carthage prospered.
Guerrilla warfare during the Civil War destroyed the city. The two-story
brick courthouse on the square was destroyed by artillery fire in 1861.
Rebuilding after the war during the Victorian era brought a new period
of investment and growth.

A temporary seat of justice was established
on February 25, 1841, in the home of George Hornback, a log cabin 12
foot by 16 foot, one an one half miles northwest of Carthage on the
Spring River. Samuel M. Coolley, Jeremiah Cravens, and Samuel B.
Bright were the first justices of the Jasper County Court. The
first county road commissioners ordered a road built in 1841
“commencing at the township line south of John Pennington’s and
ending due south of William Babb’s Mill.” Each male white
person was required to work on the public roads at least two days each
year of pay the sum of fifty cents.

A permanent county seat was chosen in March
1842 and designated by the name of Carthage. The County Court,
under Judge Spencer as presiding judge, let bids for a courthouse
building. The contract was awarded to Levi H. Jenkins, at a total
cost of $398.50. The building, a one-story room with a large door
in the south, was completed on June 29, 1842, and was located on the
north side of the present public square in Carthage. With the
settling of the county, the court business grew until it was necessary
to have larger quarters, and in 1854, a handsome two story brick
courthouse was completed in the center of the public square at a cost of
$5,000. During the Battle of Carthage on July 5, 1861, it was
severely damaged, and county government was suspended. County
records were moved to Neosho, Missouri, and later to Ft. Scott, Kansas,
for safe keeping until after the war. This courthouse was burned
to the ground several years later.

In the late 1880s, due to the increased
population of the county, there was an effort to made to locate a
courthouse in Joplin. In 1891, after a special election, it was
voted to have two courthouses, one at Carthage and one at Joplin.

On May 9, 1893, an election was held for the
purpose of incurring an indebtedness on behalf of the county of $70,000
for the two courthouses. $50,000 was for the Carthage Courthouse
and $20,000 was for the Joplin Courthouse. The City of Carthage
gave $50,000 for the Carthage Courthouse with the stipulation that the
City was to have four rooms in the courthouse.

The indebtedness was to be paid for by an
increase of the tax levy of 20 cents on the $100 valuation and was to be
paid for in three years.

The corner stone of the present Carthage
Courthouse was laid in August 1894. The building was completed in
1895 at a cost of $100,000. This structure rests on solid rock and
is built of marble from the famous Carthage quarries.